Slidell Police Department
You’ve heard the stories of the people tricked by a scam involving a Nigerian prince. Turns out, one of the “Nigerian princes” was actually just some 67-year-old man from Louisiana. Looks like I wired my money all the way to Africa for nothing when I could have just sent it to Louisiana. Michael Neu, this particular “Nigerian prince,” was caught in a web of lies and charged with 269 counts of wire fraud and money laundering. It’s like you can’t trust anyone on the internet these days.
You know the deal, you get an email from a Nigerian prince who desperately needs your help. The government official or royal family member from Nigeria needs an urgent fund transfer, then promises to not only reimburse you but also pay you handsomely for your assistance. You of course give the money because it’s always good to help someone in need, especially a wealthy Nigerian prince worth millions.
After an 18-month investigation by the Slidell Police Department’s Financial Crimes Division, they arrested Neu on Thursday. The 67-year-old Louisiana man is suspected of being the “middle man” in hundreds of scams that robbed people of their money. Some of the money that Neu allegedly stole was wired to co-conspirators that were actually in the country of Nigeria.
“Most people laugh at the thought of falling for such a fraud, but law enforcement officials report annual losses of millions of dollars to these schemes,” the Slidell Police said in a statement. “If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.” So this email that I got saying I won $5 million in sweepstakes and all they need is my email to wire over my winnings might be fake? But what if it isn’t? Can I really afford to take the chance?